India needs to take immediate steps to formulate a detailed legal framework for electronic medical records (EMRs) and electronic health records (EHRs), experts have said.

The country's medical and health-related ecosystem and corporates are currently not complying with the requirements of law, thereby risking themselves and their managements to potential legal exposure, the experts during a day-long conference on cyber law and compliance challenges concerning health and medical industry here on Thursday. 

"The laws need to be worked to protect the privacy of individuals and their sensitive personal data, while, at the same time, giving sufficient flexibility to the medical and health industries to continue their research and related activities," said Pavan Duggal, one of the leading cyber law experts in the country.

The Indian Information Technology Act, 2000 was never framed keeping in mind the electronic health record ecosystem. Duggal suggested suggested stringent parameters for legal frameworks for protecting privacy and related activities in the electronic health records ecosystem, which need to be prepared and implemented. 

"This would go a long way in protecting the patients and their data as also their respective handling in the hands of medical and health related industries," he added.  The Conference was attended by several thought leaders in the medical and health ecosystem. The experts felt there was a need for consultation with the relevant industry stakeholders before the government comes up with enabling legal frameworks.